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the second week in review

Here, again, is this wonderful passage from John Bunyan’s book All Loves Excelling.

“The High God is yours; the God that fills heaven and earth is yours; the God whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain is yours, yea, the God whose works are wonderful, and whose ways are past finding out, is yours! Consider therefore the greatness that is for you, that taketh part with you, and that will always come in for your help against them that contend with you. It is my support, it is my relief, it is my comfort in all my tribulations, and I would have it be yours, and so it will when we live in the lively faith thereof.”

This is an amazing concept. It’s the most perfect antidote to discouragement. It is so uplifting to consider that this great God is ours, and is our comfort. Especially since our week here was not very inspirational or inspired. But we were carried through and cared for through it all. That is really marvellous!

This is how the outside world looked last time any of us were in it. I love the look of the dam on our river when it freezes. I went for two very chilly three mile runs on Monday and Tuesday, in temperatures which were something like -11C, and then, along with my children, I fell ill.

It’s not surprising that our very satisfying start back to school last week…..complete with ball spike and victory dance by me…..was followed by a really mediocre week in which it has felt that we are marching through molasses. This, thanks to a funky virus that is claiming us one by one and leaving us curled up under blankets and quilts on every sofa, chair, bed and even on the floor in front of the fireplace.
Not all of us have fallen, and the ones still on their feet have loved us and fed us, and kept things tidy and have kept morale up in something like a symphony of cheerful non-complaint.

Maggie has hardly shown any signs of illness, and has flitted from patient to patient wearing her Queen Elizabeth I dress.

Here she is , wearing her uniform, with a bit of war-paint fading from her cheeks, having just donated her mug of milk to good old Cinder. Gross, but also sweet. And it’s OK, she knows not to drink after the dog…..

She ministers to us by snuggling up close to her patient of choice, with the rustling crinolines and stiff collar standing tall. Once she’s nestled in under the covers, she tells the most preposterous stories which include dragons, trips to Costco, a creature who creep into houses to steal ginger-ale, hairy spiders taking up residence in people’s noses, and squirrels in bathing suits. And it’s really encouraging. It reminds me that health is still close-by……so close I can almost touch it. And then, later I find her sleeping, curled up like a pinto bean in front of the fireplace, exhausted by her efforts.

As I have said, we are neither inspired nor inspirational. But we’re really thankful. I am so very thankful for those blankets, chairs, beds and fireplace. For Helen singing while she made breakfast for us all this morning. For my sweet neighbour who just stopped by with a casserole. For the good words of Philippians swirling around in my head, reminding me to remember my brothers with thankfulness and to look for how the grace of God is evident in their lives. And for the blessing that comes to us as we remember to pray for one another.

We were all scheduled for the high entertainment of a debate session tonight, in which the three older kids had each taken a different stand on the topic of who should get the vote (as if it were the 1920’s). One is arguing for an all white vote, another argues for black and white men voting, and another is taking the side of the women’s votes. But two of my debaters are too dizzy to fight.

We had hoped to rocket through the early 1920’s in history, and go straight for The Great Depression starting Monday. Wonder if we can double up and cover all we missed next week and get back on schedule? I’ll know in a week.

My older kids are doing two courses of Biology this year. One is Apologia Biology, which seems to be a big favourite among home-schoolers. The other course is a far more rigorous Biology with Microbiology which is being taught by their dad. He usually brings them together for science class on Friday afternoon, and science class is always preceded by a day of jittery nervous energy, and three kids who have their heads buried in textbooks and computer screens in preparation. I wonder if they will have class today……they don’t like to let Jon down, and it’s really beautiful to me to see them trying to rise to his expectations.

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I made a bit of progress on David’s sweater. Here it is last week:

And here it is this week:

Here’s the original drawing, the plan for this sweater. It’s silly, but I’m filling the drawing in with color as I get it knitted up.

Prayers for rapid recuperation. Richard and I had some sort of nasty respiratory virus at Christmas that knocked us completely off our feet. It took nearly three weeks to shake it. Thank God that none of the kids got it, but it was especially disheartening to feel so bad during the holidays when everyone was home from college and such. It is a real blessing to have family to care for you when you are feeling down.

Paula, I should probably just keep this to myself, but it’s actually my spell-checker that spells everything the Canadian way. Sometimes I have even gone back and Americanized my spellin, for the sake of honesty, and when I’m not looking it tosses those “u”s right back in.
I am glad it makes you smile, though.